Method of manufacturing rail-bonds



HQV. UNDERMAN.

METHOD 0F MANUFACTURING RAIL BONDS.

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP 9. lz Patented Man 1, 1921.

' UNITI-:o l:frnrifzs rArENroFFlcE.

HARRY v. LINDERMAN, or MANSFIELD, oHIo, AssIGNon To THE omo.A muss com l i IiANY, OF MANSIELD, `OHIO, A CORORATION 0F NEW JERSEY. y

A Specification of Letters Patent.

I METHOD OF MANUF'ACTURING RAIL-BSNDS.

original application mea april 2a, 1919, serial No. 292,132.' niviaea and this application'hiea september 29, 1919. Serial No. 327,030.

T oA all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY V. LINDER- MAN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Methods of Manufacturing Rail- Bonds, of which the following is a specifin cation.

My invention relates to the method of manufacturing that class of bond which is adapted to be secured to the conductor rail by means of a concentrated heating iame of very high intensity. V

l have found, thatthe requirements ofa bond of this character when it is desired to apply it to the rail by means of a ferrous attaching metal requires certain refinements in its construction not present in bonds adapted to be applied by a copper, bronze or brass attaching metal and the method of carrying out the construction of such a bond is of great importance.

It is not difficult to construct a bond to be applied by a concentrated heatin llame of high intensity when the attaching metal consists of copper, bronze or brass, etc., but4 when it is desired to use a ferrous attaching metal and the body of the bond and terminal are composed of copper, a metal having a v high electrical conductivity, it is found that the dierence in temperature between the ferrous metal and the copper terminal is so great that the copper terminal is liable to become fused or iuid and run before the ferrous attaching metal has reached a molten condition; and another difficulty is thatthe molten copper and iron do not properly unite or alloy under the ordinary conditions of melting such as is present in the application of a bond.

The object of using a ferrous attaching metal is that in itself it is cheaper and more economical than copper, bronze or brass and at the same time its mechanical strength is much greater than copper or'fthe copper alloys.

To bring about a construction to meet the above conditions and to roduce al bond which will have high electrical conductivity and other features set forth hereinafter, requires a method of manufacture which comprises certain features of novelty herein# after. described and shown in the accompanylng drawings and these features of novelty are not only hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings but are more particularly pointed out in the claims. Y This application forms a division of my copending application, Serial No. 292,132 filed April 23,' 1919.

In the drawings Figure l shows the stranded body portion of my bond.

Fig. 2 shows an end View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows the body of my bond after it has had its end upset and compressed into a more compact mass.

Fig. et is an end view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and shows how the face of the body and sleeve have been altered, compressed together and reinforced and the voids between the strands which were present in Fig. 2

have been eliminated. y

Fig. 6 shows a sectional view on the line l6 6 of Fig. 3 and shows the same condition as in Fig. 2, indicating that the operation of upsetting the body and a portion of` the sleeve has left unchanged or practically so, a portion of the body and sleeve.

Patented Mar. 1, 'f9.21.,

Fig. 7 shows a side elevation view ofthe body and sleeve after it has been heated"v and further compressed to bring the strand members into a close and intimate union with each other' and practically making a solid homogeneous terminal.

8 shows an end view of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7 and shows how the compression of the terminal has caused the individual strands to lose their identity and the cross section area reduced, all as compared with the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. l0 is a. sectional view' on the line 10-1() of Fig. 7 and shows practically an unchanged condition at this point ofthe bod and sleeve. l

1g. 11 shows a side elevation View of a lpartially formed casing ready to be applied to the terminal shown in Fig. 7. This casing l prefer to make of as pure a grade of iron as possible as it` has particular properties which are very advantageousv for a bond A ofthe class herein described and the reduirements which itis expected to meet, although other grades of ferrous metal can be used.

Fig. 12 is an vend View of Fi V'11. Fi 13 is a side view in e evation of a mem er which is `interposed between.` the casing 11 and the terminal of the bond. and

which when subjected to a proper .tempera ture will melt and unite the casing 11 securely to the terminal ofthe body member both electrically and mechanically. Fig. 14 is anendview of Fig. A13. Fig. 15 'is 'an end view vof the terminal shown in Fig. 7 with ythe casing shown in Fig. 11 -and the interposed attaching metalshown in Fig. 13 in apartially assembled condition..

Fig. 16 is the same view as Fig. `15 butshowing the parts in a further state of coni'- i of' the terminalmember.

pletion in which the case orcasing has been folded downinto position against Iall sides Fig. '17 .shows'the bond in a 1 condition-in. which. the casing has been securely united to the terminal.

Fig. 18 is an end view of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 shows a terminal of my v bond securedv to one. face vof a rail as is used in practice.. Itis however, adapted vto be enlarged crosssection of compacted and closely compressed strands and in which y 'advisable .stranded ends in the 'terminal in order to be able to produce a solid core for 'the terminalv applied .toother faces or surfaces of the rail they enter ,the terminal, lfrom mechanical 'injury and also from heat used in vsecuring the casing to the body terminal. In order to secure acpre for the terminal of my bond whichshallbe of high concluetivity, I utilize the 'end portions of the bodyy member 1 and in order to do so I find. it to increasethe amount of which is preferable but not necessary, and in order to do this -I upset the end of the body 1 in such a manner as to produce an theair spaces between thel strands as originally produced. are practically eliminated. vWhen upsetting the ends of the body 1, 1 4include in the upset portion, part of the a part ofthe completed terminal and be retained at the point where the f iexible body v proJects from the sleeve member 2 in order that it may become member 11'for the purpose above stated. i

completed is'sleeve vis to protect the a strands of the body v1 at the point wherel bring-them 'to a heat' 'sulicient under pres'- sure to cause the individual strands of the terminal 3 to lose their identity and become vfurther conipacted 'to a practically solid" structure and `under some conditions. ac-

tually welded together; especially is. this so .when -the' strands have been sulciently com' i i pacted together to eliminate the air films between the strand surfaces, thereby preventing oxidation, and the heat has been suiif ciently greatgto pro erly soften the strand surfaces.' The boy and terminal thus treated will. produce the member shown in `Fi s. 7, 8, 9rand10. now have formed the flexible conduct` ing portion of my bond with an integrally formed terminal member ywhich acts as a conducting core in the completedJ terminal of my bond andthis. conducting core tends to make the terminal of almost equal conductivity .throughout itsflength and at the same time there is no joint or union between the'body l and the solid compacted core 4.

The complete member as shown in Fig. 7 would be suitable to b e applied to a' rail by means of a welding metal ofcopper7 bronze or brass, etc., but is not adapted to be secured tothe rail by means of a ferrous welding or attaching metal; therefore I secure i by welding. or bra'zing to one or more faces of eachl terminal a casing or coating com posed of iron, steel,.Monel metal, etc., which has a melting temperature practically the same or-in excess of that of the attaching y metal.

Where I use iron l refer to use a material which is practica y pure, namely not less than 99.8% as such metall offers several advantages; namely, its electrical conductivity is very high compared with ordinary.

iron or steel which is high in carbon, silicon, manganese, sulfur, etc., and it is found to be practicallyrustproof which is a very imrtant item in connection` with rail bonds.

n order to secure these advantages I- prefer to use what is known as Armee-iron having a higher electrical conductivity and greater anti-corroding. properties.

In order to prepare the casing 5 shown 1n Fig. 11, I use the iron in sheet form and' bend it into shape shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 or other suitable shapes to fit the j terminal 4.

I then form up a similar shaped member 6 shown in Figs. 13 and l14: out of a material which will unitewiththe iron casing and Inow have as shown inFig. 3 a flexible the copper terminal 4 when proper heat or 130 Lesage?` heat and pressure are applied. This material may be the ordinary brazing metal of copper-zinc base or a silver solder or brazing metal composed of silver-copper base or other uniting metals of similar character.

I now assemble the parts 5 and 6 together with the terminal 4 as shown in Fig. `15 with the uniting metal 6 interposed between the terminal 4 and the casing 5. The projecting portions of the members 5 and 6 are now bent over into placeas shown in Fig. 16.

I now apply heat to the, terminalof the bond assembled as described, sufficient to cause the attaching metal 6 to melt and unite with the cop erterminal 4 andthe casing 5, after which may apply pressure to brlng the parts into closer relation if desired.

This completes thew formation of a terminal and the result is a bond as shown in Fig. 17. f e

There are many modifications in the production of this bond -which can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

It may be found advantageous in some cases to use in connection with the attaching metal interposed between the ferrous sleeve and the bond 4, a fiuxing material such as boraX or boracic acid to assist in the uniting of the parts. 1t may under some circumstances be found an advantage to use a granulated attaching metal in place of the attaching metal in sheet form as shown in Figs. 13 and 14 and when such granulated attaching metal is used it is usually mixed into a paste with the boraX or boracic acid and applied to the inner surface of the' ferrous sleeve or the exterior surface of the bond core. This application of the granulated attaching metal and fluXing material in a paste form is applied prior te the assembly of the ferrous sleeve and thebond core. Another modification may consist in applying the members 5 and -6 directly to the terminal 3 as shown in Fig. 3 and then heating the same to a temperature which will melt the attaching metal as in the case of where the members 5 and 6 are applied to the terminal 4 as shown in Fig. 4 and described above. This latter modification avoids the necessity of one heating but the terminal 4 is not compressed and compacted to the degree as the construction herein first `described and the spaces or interstices between the strands will be lled to a degree n by the attaching metal.

Modifications may be made in the last pressing operation referred to in that this operation may be made at the time of the final heating, that is simultaneously therewith, or it may be made immediately after the final heating and whilev the parts are still hot and the brazing metal in a practically fluid state.

A bond constructed as herein described and applied by means of attaching metal of a ferrous-character will be found to be more strongly united to the rail than a bond in' y by means of copper, bronze, or brass, as 1n the latter case there is a formation of oxidized or spongy copper between the copper terminal and the bond and the copper or bronze attaching metal, and this oxidized or spongy copper is very weak mechanically and permits the bond to be very easily removed from the rail, but When the attaching surface of the bond terminal is of iron, steel or Monel-metal, the union-"between the terminal and the attaching metal cannot be broken and the resistance of the bond against removal is dependent upon the mechanical strength of lthe attaching metal entirely. ln Fig. 19 the rail is represented by the numeral 7 andthe bond terminal by the numeral 8 and the attaching metal by the numeral 9.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new herein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The method of forming an electrical conductor comprising the steps of upsetting and compressing the component strands of a cable end cold, then heating and further compacting the strands, then inclosing the upset end of the cable in a ferrous casing with a brazing metal interposed and pressing the parts firmly together, then heating the parts to a temperature at which the brazing'metal becomes fluid and applying pressure to the parts to unite the parts.

2. The method of forming an electrical conductor comprising the steps of upsetting and compressing the component strands of a cable end cold, then heating and further compacting the. strands, then inclosing the upset end of the cable in a ferrous casing with a brazing metal interposed and pressing the parts firmly together, then heating the parts to a temperature at which the brazing metal becomes Huid to unite the ,parts 3. The method of forming an electrical conductor comprising the steps of upsetting and compressing the component strands at the end' of -a cable, then forming up an inclosing member having a melting point higher than that of the cable to fit the vupset cable end,l then forming up an inclosing member to fit the upset cable end having a lower melting point than the cable, then assembling the cable and inclosing members with the last mentio-ned inclosing member interposed between the first mentioned inclosing member and the upset cable end, then heating the parts thoroughly and to a temperature at which the interposed member becomes fluid and then applying pressure to the parte.

4. The method of forming anl electrical conductor comprising the steps of u ettin and compacting the ends of the in lividua members forming a stranded conductor, then inclosing the upset ends in a ferrous casing l having interposed brazing metal therebetween, then heating the parts to a point at which the brazing metal isvthorough y fluid.

5. The method of forming an electrical conductor comprising the steps of upsetting and compacting the end of a stranded cable into a practically homogeneous and solid structure, then inclosing the upset end of the cable in a ferrous casing, then heating the parts to a point at which they will unite and simultaneously ap lying pressure.

7 The method of ibrming an electrical conductor which consists of heating,l upsetting and compacting the component strands of a cable end into a practically homogeneous and solid structure, then applying a plate of ferrous metal to the upset cable end with interposed brazing metal, then heating and compressing the parts to unite. them t0- gether.

8. The method of forming an electrical conductor which comprises the steps of upsettin' and compacting the end strands' of a cab e, then applying a plate of ferrous metal with interposed brazing metal, thenr heating land compressing the above parts to unitevthemj together.

9. The method of forming an electric conductor comprising the steps of upsetting and compressing the component strands :of a cable end cold, then heating and further compacting the strands, then inclosing the u set end of the cable in a ferrous casing with brazing metal interposed, then heating the parts to a temperature at which the brazing metal becomes. fluid and applying pressure to the parts to unite the parts.

10. The method of forming an electric conductor comprisingthe steps of upsetting and compacting the end-of the individual members forming a stranded conductor, then inclosing the upset end in a ferrous casing having interposed brazing metal therebetween, then heating the parts to a point at which the brazing metal is fused and then applying pressure to the part while still hot. '11. The method of forming an electrical conductor comprising the steps of upsetting and compressingthe component strands of a cable end, then heating and further compactin the strands, then inclosing the upset en of the-.cable in a ferrous casing with a brazing metal interposed, and pressing the parts firmly together, then heating the parts to a temperature at which the brazing metal becomes lluid to unite the parts.,

In'testimon whereof I aflix my signature.

' RY V. LINDERMAN. 

